Friday, October 4, 2013

Why I Prefer Lotions (Japanese Toner)

Hello, lovelies~ I am not the biggest fan of toners because I personally feel that they don't have much function as to wipe away the remaining dirt on my face (should they still be there). Most drugstore toners in Indonesia is loaded with alcohol, so I tend to stay away from them. However, I am in love with Japanese toners or better known as lotions. 
Well, the left is from Korean, but you get the point ;D
The difference between regular toners (ones that are usually from the US) and Japanese toner (or lotion) lies in the consistency of the product. Regular toners or astringents (as they're known) have a runnier consistency that is similar to regular drinking water, whereas Japanese toners (lotions) have a slightly thicker consistency than regular toners. It may look like regular water, but when applied to the skin, it has a slightly sticky finish. Why on earth would I prefer Japanese toners, then? Here are the reasons why.

Light moisturizer for oily skin
I have mentioned countless of time that my skin type is categorizes as very oily (according to the Baumann system) when I'm not on retionic acid. Sometimes, I even skipped using a moisturizer when it is too oily because overloading it simply breaks me out, even those gel types that claimed to be water-based. I find that this is the perfect consistency to use on my skin type as it feels really lightweight, not sticky and keeps my face moisturized without causing any acne in the future.

Moisturizing sheet mask
There are days when my skin just looks its dullest and lacking in radiance. It usually happens when I'm about to have my period, so I tend to use sheet mask every two days to keep my face looking its best. That is where Japanese toners come in hand. All I do is soak a few cotton pads with the Japanese toner and voila~ instant face mask. Now I don't have to fuss over where to find face mask should mine ever run out.

Refreshing facial spray
As much as I love my Evian spray, sometimes when I'm on retinoic acid, that would just dry out my face. This is because this type of face mist doesn't contain any moisturizing ingredient to help lock in the moisture and prevent it from escaping the skin, thus resulting in an even drier skin than before. Since Japanese toners are (mostly) moisturizing in nature, I just poured some in a spray bottle and put it in my makeup bag for instant freshness throughout the day. It gives moisture to the skin, whilst locking it in place.

These are the reasons why I have switched to Japanese toners or lotions, as they're called. I feel that it is a multi-tasking product that is very beneficial, especially when I travel with it. I can turn it into a moisturizer, mask or facial spray! One of the few lotions I like to use is Hada Labo Ultimate Whitening Lotion or Secret Key Starting Treatment Essence.

What about you? Do you prefer conventional toners or Japanese ones? Let me know in the comment below and until then, I'll see you later~ 

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  1. kalo dijadiin facial spray gitu apa konsistensinya ga terlalu thick ya ci? kl yg secret key sih aku belom pernah pake, tapi yg lotionnya hadalabo bisa djadiin spray juga?

    1. Ga dong~ Soalnya kucampur lagi pake Evian dikit biar ada silicanya yang 'ngunci' moisturenya #cheat Hahahaha.. :D

  2. Wah, i never knew the difference between those two (toner and lotion) and it used to confuse the hell outta me, thank u for enlightening me Phanie! Hihi

    1. Glad you found it helpful~ I used to apply it before moisturizer on my oily skin and it broke me out like crazy. From then on, I just use it as a moisturizer and I never break out again, plus my skin feels moisturized~ ^_^

  3. hihihi nice info. di jepang emang ga ada istilah toner kali yaa.. hadalabonya aja uda cukup ngelembabin :D

  4. Tertarik sama secret key...krn prosuk sejenis yg deluan kondang mahal banget ci... Tapi belum tahu beli dimana .. Bisa kasih tahu beli dimana????